SHARP SHOOTING LEADS MEN'S BASKETBALL OVER LESLEY UNIVERSITY, 88-78

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- The University of Massachusetts Boston men's basketball team (5-3) opened the game on a 21-6 run and used 7-15 first half shooting from distance to open a 43-29 halftime lead in besting Lesley, 88-78, Thursday night at Nicholas Athletic Center.

UMass-Boston guard Jason White (Roxbury, MA/Charlestown) was the star of the night, scoring 25 points in 23 minutes and pacing the run that saw the Beacons open up a 17-point first half lead. The sophomore scored three early baskets as Boston opened the contest on a 13-3 run spanning the game's first 7:00. He hit 7-8 field goals from the floor in the first, including 2-3 from downtown, leading all scorers with 16 points as the Beacons opened up a 43-29 halftime lead.

For Lesley, guard John Sanchez (Carson, CA/Saint John Bosco) posted a double-double of 15 points and a career-high 12 assists for Lesley (2-6), breaking the school's record of 10 assists set on November 25, 2006 by Anthony Drayton.

Sanchez scored nine of his 15 in the period, playing all 20 minutes and handing out four assists to only one turnover. As a team, the Lynx were held to 31 percent (9-29) shooting for the frame, no match for the Beacons leathal attack that shot 53 percent (18-34) from the field and hit a red-hot 7-15 (46.7 percent) from distance.

Lesley's freshmen found their stroke to open the second, as first-year Grant Cobb (Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) opened the period with back-to-back treys, followed by one from Myles Mungcal (Chatsworth, CA/Chatsworth) that made it a seven point game, at 47-40 just inside the 18:00 mark. Boston's Mo Johnson (Portland, OR/Century) answered immediately with a three-pointer of his own, part of an 8-0 run that ended with one of White's two trifectas, distancing the Beacons for good.

UMass-Boston's athletic, precise attack stayed just as hot through the second, as the Beacons shot 50 percent (6-12) on three-pointers in the second and 56 percent (14-25) from the floor. For the game, the visitors shot 54 percent (32-59) overall to go with 48 percent from three-point range.

Johnson followed White in the Beacons scoring column with an equally efficient 17 points in 15 minutes. Isaac Jenkins (Pordenone, Italy/Savio Prep) followed with 15 points and a team-high five assists.

Lesley's Harold Smith (Florence, AZ/Florence) led the team with a season-high 17 points on 6-13 shooting. Guard Nicholas Sparacino (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) came off the bench for 11 points in 12 minutes, and Cobb hit 2-4 on threes for nine points.

Lesley plays host to No. 21 MIT on Saturday at 1 p.m., while UMass-Boston takes on Rhode Island College on Saturday at 3 p.m.